Sled structure



June 8, 1965 J. P. 0. LEE 3,188,105

SLED STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 20, 1963 3,188,165 7 SLED STRUCTURE dohnPatrick G. Lee, RFD. 3, Putney, V Filed Feb. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 259,6?92

Claims. (111.286-25) The present invention relates to sleds generallyand in particular to a new and novel sled structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel sled structurein which a single elongated member is bent upon itself to form therunners of the sled, the forward nose portion of the sled, the sheetsupporting structure of the sled, and the portion of the sled which isheld by the hands of the user or employed to support the feet of theuser of the sled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sledstructurewhich is extremely economical to produce, one which is sturdyin construction, one having longlife characteristics, and one which ishighly effective in action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sled structurewhich lends itself to manufacture from commercially available tubing,one which may be fabricated in any size desired, one which lends itselfto fabrication upon available tube bending equipment, and one which iscommercially feasible.

A further object is to provide a sled structure with removable seats,and one which permits attachment of any one of a variety ofvariously'shaped seats.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will befully apparent from the following de-' scription when taken inconnection with the annexed drawing, in which: v

FIGUREI is a plan view of the sled structure according to the invention,one form of seat for the structure being shown in dotted lines, a p

FIGUREZ is an end elevational view of the sled struc ture' taken fromthe front,

FIGURE 3 is aside elevational tion,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary View partially in section on an enlarged scaleshowing the forward end of the sled structure, Y

FIGURE 5 15's view'taken on the line 55 of FIG- URE 4, i i w A a lFIGURE 6 is an isometric exploded view of the sled structure showingasecond seat member in position for mounting uponthe sled, a r a FIGURE 7is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view partially in section showing a modifiedform of the forward end portion of view partially in see the sledstructure according to the present invention, and.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of another form of seat to be used withthe sled structure of'the present invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing in which like nu- I aisaias PatentedJune 8, 1965 wardly upon the second section 18 so as to'be substan-'tially parallel thereto and in superimposed spaced relation, as at 24.The free ends of the third' sections are bent inwardly to form fourthsections 26 which have their free ends joined together to form anotherbight 28 which is substantially parallel to the bight 16 previouslydescribed. v

The fourth sections 26 slope in a curve downwardly sothat the bight 28is slightly below'the plane of the third sections 24, the bight28 beingin the same plane as the bight 16.

Spring means connects the bight 16 to the bight 28 and this spring meansconsists of a coil spring'litl having one end formed as a hook 32 andthe other end formed as another hook 34. The hook 32 is engaged inan eyeformation'36 projecting from the bight 16 and the hook 34 is engagedwith another eye formation 38 projecting from the bight 28.

In FIGURE 8 an alternative method of connecting the spring Stl is shownin which the book 32' is looped over the bight 16.

The sled structure as shown in FIGURE 1 includes a first seat 46which isremovably attached to the third sections 24 and bight 28 by means ofsuitable fastening elements extending through appropriately positionedholes provided in the rolledunder edge portions of said seat 46. Anotheror second seat 40 as shown in FIGURE 9 may beattache'd in place of theseat 46 if desired. The second seat 40 has rolled under skirts 42 and 44provided with holes 48 through which fastening elements may bepositioned to secure the seat 40 to the sled-structure.

As illustrated, the seat 40 is only an example of a seat which may beemployed in place of the seat 46.

Both the seat 40 and the basic seat 46 have holes, as at 48and 50,respectively, for the penetration therethrough of a fastening elementsuch as a bolt or metal working screw, neither of which are shown asthey ,do not tubular member from which the frame of the sled isconstructed, the plastic material being provided so as merals indicatelike parts throughout the several views,

the sled structure according to the present invent-ion is designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 10 and it is formed from anelongatedmember bent upon itself to form a first U-shaped elementdesignated in FIGURE 3 by the reference numeral 12.

The sled structure is symmetrical along a longitudinal axis andtherefore the description of one component thereof on one side will beconsidered as descriptive of the opposite component.

The legs of the U-shaped element 12 are divided into first sections 14contiguous to the bight 16, the sections 14 sloping upwardly atapproximately forty-five degrees to the horizontal. The sections 14 arealso arcuately curved as shown most clearly in FIGURE 2 and the bight 16is horizontal.

to reinforce the sled structure at such points requiring reinforcement.

While the element 12 has been described as being of tubular materialsuch as tubular aluminum, steel, or the like, it may also be fabricatedof square or rectangular material, channel shaped material, or ofmaterial of any desired cross-section as found practical in themanufacture of the sled structure according to the present invention.

' It will be seen therefore that the sled structure of the presentinvention is novel, may be constructed in any size desired, is rigid andof sturdy construction, the spring 30 providing resiliency between theseat portion and the runner portions of the sled, and the sled structurebeing of such shape as to be attractive. The seats 40 and 46 may befabricated of metal, rigid plastic or plastic having a certain rigiditywhile being soft to the touch and deformable under pressure as desired.

The seats 40 and 46 lend themselves to fabrication in colors and theframe of the sled structure also lends itself As shown in FIGURE 7 theunderface of each 1. A sled structure comprising an elongated memberbent upon itself to form a first U-shaped element, the legs of saidelement each having a first section disposed contiguous to the bight ofsaid element, a second section adjacent said first section and disposedhorizontally, said second section being adapted to engage a groundsurface, said leg first sections being bent upwardly at an angle to thehorizontal, a third section bent upwardly and back- Wardly' on saidsecond section into substantially parallel relation with respect to saidsecond section and extend ing in the form of a cantilever for a majorportion of the length of the second sections, and a fourth section bentinwardly into substantial parallel spaced relation with respect to saidbight, the free ends of said fourth sections being joined together toform a second bight, said second bight being on the same plane as saidfirst bight, and a seat extending over said leg third sections andsecured directly and only thereto.

2. A sled structure comprising an elongated member bent upon itself toform a first U-shaped element, the legs of said element each having afirst section disposed contiguous to the bight of said element, a secondsection adjacent said first section and disposed horizontally, saidsecond section being adapted to engage a ground surface, said leg firstsections being bent upwardly at an angle of substantially forty-fivedegrees to the horizontal, a third section bent upwardly and backwardlyon said secnd section into substantially parallel relation with respectto said second section and extending in the form of a cantilever for amajor portion of the length of the second sections and a fourth sectionbent inwardly into substantial parallel spaced relation with respect tosaid bight, the free ends of said fourth sections being joined togetherto form a second bight, said second bight being on the same plane assaid first bight, and a seat extending over said leg third sections andsecured directly and only thereto. 7

3. A sled structure comprising an elongated member bent upon itself toform a first U-shaped element, the legs of said element each having afirst section disposed contiguous to the bight of said element, a secondsection adjacent said first section and disposed horizontally, saidsecond section being adapted to engage a ground surface, said leg firstsections being bent upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, a thirdsection bent upwardly and backwardly on said second section intosubstantially parallel relation with respect to said second section andextending in the form of a cantilever for a major portion of the lengthof the second sections, and a fourth section bent inwardly intosubstantial parallel spaced relation with respect to said bight, thefree ends of said fourth sections being joined together to form a secondbight, said second bight being on the same plane as said first bight, aseat extending over said leg third sections and detachably secureddirectly and only thereto, and spring means connecting said first andsecondbights together.

4. A sled structure comprising an elongated member bent upon itself toform a first U-shaped element, the legs of said element each having afirst section disposed contiguous to the bight of said element, a secondsection adjacent said first section and disposed horizontally, saidsecond section being adapted to engage a ground surface, said leg firstsections being bent upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, a thirdsection bent upwardly and back- Wardly on said second section intosubstantially parallel relation with respect to said second section andextending in the form of a cantilever for a major portion of the lengthof the second sections, and a fourth section bent inwardlyintosubstantial parallel spaced relation with respect to said bight, thefreeends of said fourth sections being joined together to form a secondbight, said second bight being on the same plane as said first bight, aseat extending over said leg third sections and detachably secureddirectly and only thereto, and spring means connecting said first andsecond bights together, said seat having a portion extending over thejuncture of the free ends of said fourth leg sections.

5. A sled structure comprising an elongated member bent upon itself toform a first U-shaped element, the legs of said element each having afirst section disposed contiguous to the bight of said element, a secondsection ad jacentsaid first section and'disposed horizontally, saidsecond section being adapted to engage a round surface, said leg firstsections being bent upwardly at an angle to the horizontal, a thirdsection bent upwardly and backwardly on said second section intosubstantially parallel relation with respect to said second sectionand'extending in the form of a cantilever for a major portion of thelength of the second sections, and a fourth section bent upwardly intosubstantial parallel spaced relation with respect to said bight, thefree ends of said fourth sections being joined together to form a secondbight, said second bight being on the same plane as said first bight, aseat including a sloping seat back extending over said leg thirdsections and detachably secured directly and only thereto, spring meansconnecting said first and second bights together, said seat having aportion extending over the juncture of the free ends ofsaid fourth legsections.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 168,180 9/75Parks 280-12 188,353 3/77 Gilzinger 280-12 536,202 3/95 Hamlin 280-121,049,601 1/13 Reeve 2s0 25 2,294,704 9/42 Ware 2s0 23 2,446,452 8/48Benson 280--22 FOREIGN PATENTS 43,990 5/27 Norway.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

A. HARRY LEVY, Examiner.

1. A SLED STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MEMBER BENT UPON ITSELF TOFORM A FIRST U-SHAPED ELEMENT, THE LEGS OF SAID ELEMENT EACH HAVING AFIRST SECTION DISPOSED CONTIGUOUS TO TH EBIGHT OF SAID ELEMENT, A SECONDSECTION ADJACENT SAID FIRST SECTION AND DISPOSEED HORIZONTALLY, SAIDSECOND SECTION BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A GROUND SURFACE SAID LEG FIRSTSECTIONS BEING BENT UPWARDLY AT AN ANGLE TO THE HORIZONTAL, A THIRDSECTION BENT UPWARDLY AND BACKWARDLY ON SAID SECOND SECTION INTOSUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SECOND SECTION ANDEXTENDING IN THE FORM OF A CANTILEVER FOR A MAJOR PORTION OF THE LENGTHOF THE SECOND SECTIONS, AND A FOURTH SECTION BENT INWARDLY INTOSUBSTANTIAL PARALLEL SPACED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BIGHT, THEFREE ENDS OF SAID FOURTH SECTIONS BEING JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM A SECONDBIGHT, SAID SECOND BIGHT BEING ON THE SAME PLANE AS SAID FIRST BIGHT,AND A SEAT EXTENDING OVER AND LEG THIRD SECTIONS AND SECURED DIRECTLYAND ONLY THERETO.